Automated provisioning, maintenance, and information logging of custom Access Point Names in packet-based mobile cellular networks

• US 20070036099A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maria, Arturo, Hopkins, Robert, McAllister, Gary, Jardine, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media are provided for automating the process of provisioning and maintaining Access Point Names (“APNs”) for use in digital networks, such as GPRS networks. A plurality of network elements including but not limited to GGSN tables, router tables, firewall systems, VPN tunnels, and Home Location Registry (“HLR”) tables can be provisioned and maintained via a centralized system. The invention integrates centralized logging of provisioning, maintenance, and access events, as well as acknowledgement from provisioned network elements, for enhanced security, reporting, and troubleshooting. The invention thus ensures accuracy and reduces operational costs of integrating mobile communications systems with digital networks.

Claims

1. An Access Point Name (“

APN”

) definition control engine for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an APN, comprising;

means for associating, by a computer user, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said network elements to deliver mobile communications data through said APN;

means for provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said computer user, the network elements with said parameters;

means for logging a user identification corresponding to said computer user; and

means for logging at least one identification of a network element from said plurality of network elements.

2. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

3. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one fixed end system router.

4. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one firewall system.

5. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

6. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one gateway support router.

7. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 6 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

8. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said network element.

9. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for receiving status information from at least one network element, and means for logging said status information.

10. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for defining access right of a user such that the user can perform only activities defined for the said user.

11. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein said means for logging a user identification and said means for logging at least one identification of a network element comprise means for using a centralized database log.

12. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for updating at least one parameter.

13. A method for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an Access Point Name (“

APN”

), comprising;

associating, by a computer user, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said network elements to deliver mobile communications data to said APN;

provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said computer user, the network elements with said parameters;

logging a user identification corresponding to said computer user; and

logging at least one identification of a network element from said plurality of network elements.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one fixed end system router.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one firewall system.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Home Location Registry (“

HLR”

).

19. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one gateway support router.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said network element.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising receiving status information from at least one network element, and logging said status information.

23. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising defining access right of a user such that the user can perform only activities defined for the said user.

24. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said logging a user identification and said logging at least one identification of a network element is conducted using a centralized database log.

25. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising updating at least one parameter.

26. A computer readable medium bearing instructions for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an Access Point Name (“

APN”

), comprising;

instructions for associating, by a computer user, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said network elements to deliver mobile communications data to said APN;

instructions for provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said computer user, the network elements with said parameters;

instructions for logging a user identification corresponding to said computer user; and

instructions for logging at least one identification of a network element from said plurality of network elements.

27. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

28. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one fixed end system router.

29. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one firewall system.

30. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

31. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of network elements comprises at least one gateway support router.

32. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 31 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

33. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said network element.

34. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for receiving status information from at least one network element, and logging said status information.

35. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for defining access right of a user such that the user can perform only activities defined for the said user.

36. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein said instructions for logging a user identification and said instructions for logging at least one identification of a network element comprise instructions for logging in a centralized database log.

37. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for updating at least one parameter.